The Witness of the Empty Tomb

On this Easter Sunday we celebrate again the witness of the empty tomb of Jesus Christ!  That empty tomb continues to stand as a historical witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!  It was that empty tomb, and the physical appearances of the risen Jesus to His followers, that infused new courage and passion into their lives!  Over and over again, throughout the Gospel accounts, the followers of Jesus tell us that they are ‘witnesses’ to the reality and fact of Christ’s resurrection from the dead!  

The historical fact of the resurrection authenticates Jesus’ claims that He was the Son of God, that He has power to forgive men of their sins, that He is Lord of all, and that He has ushered in God’s reign of grace in the hearts of men.  The resurrection gives validation to Christ’s death on the cross and reveals to us the cleansing power [to forgive our sins] that is in His shed blood, when we put our trust in Him!  Jesus tells us in John 6:46, “The one who believes in Me shall have eternal life.”  Our lives can be changed forever by placing our faith and confidence in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.

Many today are searching for meaning and purpose in life.  Others are struggling to find hope and peace.  The empty tomb gives witness to us today that Jesus Christ is alive–and that He has the power to change our lives!  He is the One who can bring true peace, true forgiveness, true love, and true hope to our lives!  I pray that you will find new strength and courage in your life as you consider the witness of Jesus’ empty tomb!  I pray that in reflecting on the empty tomb you will come to believe that Jesus Christ did triumphantly arise from the grave, defeating sin and death, and now offers you the wonderful gift of eternal life!    

May we be reminded of those wonderful words that the angel proclaimed on that first Easter morning, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead?  He is NOT here!  HE HAS RISEN!”  (Luke 24:5-6)